Sean Taylor 22, Florida State 14

In an effort to get my mind of all that’s wrong with the world, I wanted to take a few hours to think about Sean Taylor in the “present” tense by watching my old VHS copy of the Miami/Florida State game from 2003. 

We’ve all seen the game. It’s an all time classic. Sadly, it took the tragedy to make me remember that.

Watching it live in 2003, most of us were too burned from the Fiesta Bowl and watching the program backslide an wee-bit in post-Ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson and Willis McGahee era.

Brock Berlin, Kevin Beard and Jarrett Payton didn’t really have the same ring back then. Four years later, they’d be welcomed with open arms. Too bad most of us didn’t realize we were still in the golden era then and bitched our way though 2003. 

2003 was no 2000-2002, so it was seen as a bit of a ‘down’ year with two losses. Sad thing is, 99% of that team would’ve started for Miami in 2006 and 2007.

I’m mad I didn’t appreciate that game more at the time. I remember watching it at the Venetian in Las Vegas, wearing the green Taylor #26 jersey shown in the photo above. Miami was coming off a nailbiter against West Virginia and there was almost this sense of despair surrounding the program, as the Canes didn’t look as invincible as they did in years passed. 

My how times have changed.

I miss those times and those great Canes teams and after watching that game, I miss #26 even more as a talent. What a statement was made on the field that day. Bar none the most impressive performance I’ve ever seen a lone defensive player make in a game of that magnitude. 

Sean Taylor absolutely owned Florida State on October 11th, 2003. Thank God for videotape and vintage memories preserved.

No news out of Miami today, but the story in Phoenix was Antrel Rolle sharing his thoughts on the tragedy and called it like he saw it; a targeted hit.

Hard to argue with Rolle, another kid from the neighborhood. Rolle is from Homestead, Taylor from Perrine. He and Taylor had played ball together since they were knee-high. Rolle the starting running back and Taylor, starting linebacker for the Homestead Hurricanes. They were six years old. Their dads, both police officers. 

A dozen years later, they were playing for the city’s real-deal Hurricanes, north in Coral Gables. Making a name for themselves and helping their hometown program dominate the collegiate landscape. Both earned national championship rings together in 2001 as freshman. 

Taylor was taken fifth in the 2003 NFL Draft and Rolle selected eighth the following April. 

Rolle knows the city. He knows there are a slew of bad seeds out there who’d love nothing more than to take out someone who made it and is perceived to have ‘sold out’ by choosing a different lifestyle and turning one’s back on old school, long-time friends and acquaintances.

Taylor turned his back and left some guys in his wake when he became a dad. No more room for any bad seeds. Sounds like Taylor took some personal inventory and made the right choices this past year and an effort to protect his daughter and long-time girlfriend. 

Sadly, in a place like Miami it can be the right decision that gets you killed.

Two days later, nothing feels better. It doesn’t add up and it doesn’t feel right. I don’t know if it ever will. Bryan Pata was bad enough this year. Seeing it happen again just over a year later… it stings even more. Taylor made it. He had gotten out. The world was his.

Fame and fortune were part of his make up and he was the fiercest hitter in the game – but it was his growth off the field which makes this such a bitter pill to swallow. Taylor made that change for the two ladies in his life. He was cutting ties with his past. 

According to Rolle, he had a fear of his past life in Miami and wanted to distance himself. He had, but one random weekend back home due to injury proved to be fatal. So random. So tragic. 

Still hurting. Watching the game last night, brought a smile to my face but talking about it a day later and hearing someone in the know like Rolle calling it the way he sees it… I’m crushed again tonight.

I can only imagine the wave of emotions Sean’s friends and family are dealing with. If I feel this bad, I can’t even imagine their pain. My prayers are with all of you. Keep on. 

.:Canes305:.

Comments

comments